This invention relates generally to a grease containment assembly for collecting grease discharged from vents.
Restaurants, especially fast food establishments, produce high volumes of grease that is discharged through a roof-mounted exhaust system. The grease that is discharged may accumulate on the roof and cause deterioration and/or pose extreme fire hazards. Known attempts to contain the grease generally result in less that efficient means for containing the discharged grease.
One such attempt is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,196,040 entitled xe2x80x9cGrease Trap and Filter Apparatus,xe2x80x9d (""040 patent) which the applicant herein co-invented. However, the ""040 patent has numerous shortcomings. For instance, the filter assembly is designed and cut to fit snugly around the exhaust duct of an exhaust system. However, the grease may still easily run in between the duct and the filter spilling on to the roof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,512,073 entitled xe2x80x9cGrease Filter Assemblyxe2x80x9d (""073 patent) is another attempt to contain the grease that may be discharged through a roof top exhaust system. Similar to the above, the ""073 patent also places the filter directed against the exhaust duct. However, the ""073 patent is secured to the duct rather than the roof, allowing it to be placed on any roof, even if slanted.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,216 entitled xe2x80x9cGrease Filter Assemblyxe2x80x9d (""216 patent) places a filter directed below the grease spout. However, it is well known that the grease has a tendency to expel from any openings in the seams around the entire perimeter of the exhaust duct, vent and under the fan base as well.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,558 entitled xe2x80x9cGrease Containment System and Method for Absorbing Greasexe2x80x9d (""558 patent) is directed to a system that uses a box to collect grease falling from the spout as well as a filter mat placed around the vent to collect run off grease. However, as the above-mentioned patents, the ""558 patent is simply fitted about the exhaust duct such that the grease may fall in between the filter and the duct.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,143,047 entitled xe2x80x9cEffluent Containment Assemblyxe2x80x9d is directed to a containment system for collecting grease or other effluents that dispense from a exhaust system. The various disclosed systems may be mounted to the duct above the roof and include a flashing member to direct the effluent downwardly and outwardly away from the vent. However, since the filter material is cut and sized about the duct, grease may still seep in between the filter and the duct and onto the roof
As noted above, most grease containment assemblies use filters that are cut and sized to fit about the perimeter of the exhaust duct. In some instances the exhaust system includes a grease spout that is suppose to direct the grease into a small grease trap, as shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,143,047 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,010,558. However, the grease has a tendency to seep through seems between the filter pads and the duct as well as around the fan base between the exhaust duct and fan. As such in each instance the grease will still saturate the roof causing deterioration and posing fire risks. A need therefore exists for improvements on the above-mentioned references in order to prevent the grease from saturating and deteriorating the roof.
In accordance with the present invention a grease containment assembly is described and disclosed herein below. The grease containment assembly includes a plurality of elongated members positioned about the perimeter of an exhaust system. Each elongated member has a bottom portion and two walls extending upwardly from the bottom portion, wherein one of the walls is positioned up against the exhaust duct defined in the exhaust system and the other wall is a predetermined distance therefrom defined by a width of the bottom portion. The containment assembly further includes a means for securing the elongated members against the exhaust duct, such as support brackets. A sorbent pad is sized to fit entirely within the elongated members and has properties to absorb grease and to permit water to drain through or repel therefrom. The elongated members further includes a plurality of drain holes interspaced about the bottom portion such that water not absorbed or repelled by the sorbent pad may drain from the containment assembly. Other embodiments include placing a mesh covering on top of the sorbent material to help prevent the sorbent material from moving.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the elongated members may include a water channel running along the bottom portion thereof. The corner or angled section would further include egresses that aligned with the water channel such that water repelled by the sorbet material could drain out of the containment assembly.
In addition, the flashing guard could be an integral component of the elongated members rather than being separate. Also, the screen could be replaced by having a section extending out from the wall proximal to the exhaust duct to the wall distal thereto.
Numerous other advantages and features of the invention will become readily apparent from the following detailed description of the invention and the embodiments thereof, from the claims, and from the accompanying drawings.